Washing machine



Aug. 28, 1928.

B. E. GETZ WASHING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1923 l LNSZENTEE- and as to such generic disclosure a disclaimer v Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED ySTATES l 1,682,500 PATENT oFFIcE.

.BENJAIIN E. `GEELZ, OF NORTON, ILLINOIS,'.ASSIGNOB, BY AND IESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, 0F ONE-HALF TO GETZ POWER WASHER CO., 0F NORTON, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS, AND ONE-HALF TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC IANUFAUIUBING COMPANY, 0F EAST PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COBPOBA- l TION OF PENNSYLVANIA Application med April 14,

This. invention has reference to washing machines, and particularly to that type 1ncluding a clothes container or tub which 1s mounted for movement in the frame of the machine. In its preferred form the contam-` er or tub is oscillated` but to those skilled in this art it will be understood that the movement of the operating means could be extended so as to impart an alternating rotary movement to the container or tub, so as to rotate it approximately a full revolution before reversing its operation, instead of a partial rotation, as herein shown.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a controllable means for the tub moving means; such controllable means movable to different positions and adapted in one of its positions to impart movement to the tub and in another of its positions adapted to restore the tub to normal stopped position, without stopping the movement of the tub moving means.

The invention herein described and shown is an improvement on the generic idea disclosed in the application of Thomas Litwiller and John Leader bearing Serial No. 442,336

is here made. Furthermore, this application is a companion to applic-ations filed of even date herewith, bearing Serial No. 631,- 965 and No. 631,966. In said application bearing Serial No. 631,965 the mechanism is shown applied to an o 'llatory tub, or one which makes less thansle complete revolution during each oscillat on, and in said application bearing Serial No. 631,966 the mec anism is shown applied to an alternating rotary tub, or one which makes at least one complete revolution during each oscillatory movement.

The present improvement resides in the controllable means, which includes an adjustable guide-shoe, in which is slidably adjustable, a member connected with the 'power means and with the tub; the adjustment ofA said guide-shoe to one position creating a' neutral condition between the operatlng means and the tub, whereby the latter is restored to normal position and stopped, and the adjustment of said guide-shoe to another position `restoring the operative relation between the operating means and tub, whereby movement may be imparted to the latter to WASHING MACHINE.

1923. serial no. $31,967.

cause it to be oscillated, first in one direction, then in an opposite direction.

. That the invention may be more fully understood, reference is had tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of the descri tion, and illustrating a preferred emb iment of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my controllable means for washing machines, and operating connections between the same and the tub and a power means, dotted lines indicating the adjustable positions of the con-` trollable means, and the tub being shown in dotted lines in different positions, and

Figure 2 is a cross-section, in. plan, as the same would appear if taken on the line 2 2 Figure 1. A

Like characters of reference denote corre-` sponding parts throughout the figures.

The frame structure which may beof any suitable character, is shown vin outline, in dotted lines; likewise the clothes container or tub, which may be of any suitable design, full lines being employed to show the tub moving means and controllable means, certain. positions of which, however, are illustrated by dotted lines.

. The frame of the machine includes a base member 1, side members 2 and a top or cover 3. Such frame, if desired, like many present day machines may also have a cabinet or enclosing casing, not shown. As a supporting means for the container or tub 4, a frame 5 is provided in which trunnions 6 or other journal means may have a bearing, whereby the container or tub may have movement. In the present disclosure this movement is preferabl oscillatory. The container or tub would naturally include an opening, not shown, through which clothing or othermaterials would be inserted into and withdrawn therefrom, and such openin covered or closed, when desired by a suitabilz not shown.

Figure 1 shows the containeror tub in different dotted positions. In the position A, being the normal position of the tub when the controllable means is in the full line position shown in said figure, said container or tub has been restored to its normal position, or as some would say returned to its neutral position and stopped, the operating means continuing in operation, and the cone lid or cover,

trollable means idling and without movement being imparted to the container or tub. Also, in said figure the positions B of the container or tub show it oscillating, being the result which is obtained by adjusting the controllable means to the position, illustrated by the dotted lines.

By normal or neutral position of the tub, it is to be understood that that is the position the tub occupies when it is stopped so thatthe lid or cover thereof may be removed by an attendant to permit the removal of clothes or fabrics from the tub and the placing of other articles or materials therein. Also, by the use of the word restore I mean the bringing back or righting of the tub to normal or neutral position at the same time that the operating means is made ineffective so far as o eratng the tub is concerned, yet without disturbing the movement of the operating means.

By the use of a mechanism such as I employ and which I am about to describe, the use of spring constraining means for returning the tub to its normal position and for balancing the tub, are unnecessary and entirely done away with, and yet the attendant need have no concern about the tub being restored to normal position, as such is the natural result when the controllable means is moved to discontinue the movement of the tub.

7 designates a driving shaft, which may form a part of or be included in any suitable transmission, not shown, through which power is imparted to said shaft from the usual motor, not shown. To one end of said shaft is connected a crank-arm 8.

Connected to the container or tub 4, preferably through a trunnion 6, or similar member, 1s a crank-arm 9 to which is pivotally connected at 9a the upper end of a pitman or connecting bar 10, which has connection at its lower end with a pivot member 11 to which is also connected a reach bar or connecting arm 12 which has connection with and is operated by the crank-arm 8. The said pivot member 11 is connected with a block like member 13 slidable back and forth in a groove or guideway 14 formed or provided in an adjustable guide-shoe 15. Said groove or guideway is struck on an arc of a circle, the center of which is the pivotal connection 9 between the pitman or connecting bar 10 and the crank 9, in the position of the parts as shown in full lines in Figure 1. Said guideshoe is formed integral with or has connected thereto an annular flanged hub 16 rotatably held Within a. similar hub-like member 17 on a, base or support 18 sup orted on the machine base member 1. T e anged hub 16 has connected thereto an, arm 19 to which is pivotally connected a link or bar 20 which, 1n turn, is pivotally connected to a lever 21 fulcrumed at 22 to the frame, and extending up along side the tub or frame of the machine has a hand-hold 23 to be grasped by an attendant when it is desired to shift said lever to oscillate the guide-shoe to move it from the full line position to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1, or vice versa. As shown, the longitudinal axisof the groove or guide-way 14 is struck through or across the axis of the flanged hub 16 and also the pivot member 11 connected with the block-like member 13, and the guide-shoe with its guideway extends a uniform distance on either side of the axis of said flanged-hub 16 and support 18 to which it is connected. The full line position of the parts, as shown in Figure 1 is the inoperative or ineffective position of the 'controllable means, yet permitting movement of such controllable means and connections with the power and tub, as the pitman or connecting bar 10 will merely oscillate back and forth, like apendulum, on its pivotal connection 9 with the crank-arm 9. The dotted line positions show the operative position of the controllable means, and when so positioned the tub will be oscillated through the movement imparted to the pitman or connecting bar 10 and the crank-arm 9.

In the neutral position of the guide-shoe 15, as the connecting arm 12 is reciprocated forward` and back the block-like member 13 is moved forward and back in the guide-wav 14 with the pitman or connecting bar 10 idlin back and forth on its pivotal connection wit the crank-arm 9 without imparting any movement to said crank-arm, and likewise no movement to the tub 4 which is in its neutral or normal position A, having been restored to such position and stopped simultaneously with the throw of the lever 21 to position the guide-shoe in the full line position shown. When the lever 21 is moved to a position, corresponding to that shown in dotted lines, the iianged hub 16 is oscillated on its axis, through the connections described, which will move the guide-shoe 15 to a position corresponding to the position shown in dotted lines, and as a result, when the block-like member 13 is moved back and forth in the guide-way 14 of said shoe it does not move in an arc which is struck from the pivot 9Il when the parts are in neutral position, but will move 1n an arc at an oblique angle through a vertical line passing' through the axis of said flanged hub 16, which will result in a simultaneous reciprocation and pendulum like inovement of t e bar 10 and cause an oscillation of the crank 9 and a corresponding oscillation of the tub 4 to which said crank is connected. In other words, the block-like member 13 has two arcs of movement, one in a substantially horizontal direction when the mechanism is in neutral position, and the other more or less of a substantial vertical movement when the mechanism is in operative position.

The adjustment of the guide-shoe may be made quickly by a quick throw of the lever, or

more slowly by a gradual movement being imparted to the lever. By a very slow throw of the lever a gradual and variable oscilla` tion will be imparted to the tub, either when starting or stopping the tub, it being obvious that the bringing of the guide-shoe to neutral position will automatically and simultaneously restore the tub to neutral position and stop it, without interferring in any way with the continued operation of the power, controllable means and connections thereto.

It will be further understood, that if the lever 2l is held at any point between its extreme and predetermined ositions, that less than a full oscillation o? the tub may be obtained. This is desirable in the handling of coarse and fine fabrics and clothing. Therefore it is possible to obtain a variable movement of the tub, depending on theadjust-ment of the lever 21, and the tub is brought to a stop Without jerking or jiggling.

What I claim is l 1. In a machine of the character described, in combination with a tub mounted for movement, of an operating means, a crank-like member connected with the tub, a guide shoe, an adjustable support :for said shoe, a lever for adjusting said support to change t-he position of said shoe, a member slidable in said shoe, an operating connection between said member and said crank-like member, and an operating connection between said member and said operating means.

2. In a washing machine in combination, a tub disposed for oscillatory movement, a drive shaft for actuating the tub, members for connecting the drive shaft to the tub, one of said members being pivotally connected to the tub, an adjustable guide for controlling operation of the connecting members.

3. In a machine of the character described, in combination with a tub mounted for movement, an arm connected with said tub, an operating means, an adjustable supported dguide arm struck on an arc of a circle from sai when the tub and arm have assumed neutral positions, a member slidable in said guide,

operating connections between said member and said arm and between said member and said operating means, and means to change the position of said guide, whereby movement of the member therein will impart movement to the tub through the o erating connections between said member an tub.

4. In a washing machine in combination, a tub disposed :for oscillatory movement, a drive shaft for actuating the tub, a connectin bar disposed for operation by the drive sha and pivotally connected to the tub at a diS- tance from the axis of the tub and an arcuate guide for controlling the movements of the connectin bar, said guide being adjustable to bring t e tub to rest and t0 permit the connecting bar to oscillate about lts pivotal connection with the tub in a path concentric with the point of connection of the connecting bar and the tub to avoid resolving the movement of the bar into motion which would impart movement to the tub.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto `aixed my hand and seal this 11th day of April, 1923.

BENJAMIN E. GETZ. 

